Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== zhāopai: 招牌 - Signboard, Signature Dish, Reputation ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** zhāopai, zhaopai, 招牌, zhaopai cai, 招牌菜, Chinese signboard, what does zhaopai mean, signature dish Chinese, Chinese reputation, brand name, flagship product * **Summary:** A comprehensive guide to the Chinese word **招牌 (zhāopai)**. This page explains both the literal meaning of **zhāopai** as a physical "signboard" for a shop or restaurant, and its powerful figurative meanings, such as a "signature dish" (**招牌菜, zhāopai cài**), a "flagship product," or a person's "reputation." Learn how this single word encapsulates concepts of brand identity, quality, and public trust in Chinese culture, and how to use it correctly in conversation. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhāopai * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** A physical signboard for a business; or figuratively, a signature item, specialty, or a person's reputation. * **In a Nutshell:** **招牌 (zhāopai)** literally refers to the sign hanging outside a store that attracts customers. Because this sign represents the business's identity and promise of quality, the word has evolved to mean much more. It now refers to the single thing a business is famous for—its "signature dish" or "flagship product." By extension, it can even describe a person's most well-known characteristic or skill. At its heart, **zhāopai** is about what defines you and what you're proud to put your name on. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **招 (zhāo):** This character means "to beckon," "to attract," or "to recruit." The left side is the "hand" radical (扌), indicating an action done with the hand, like waving or gesturing to someone to come closer. * **牌 (pái):** This character means "a plaque," "a sign," or "a card." The left side radical (片 piàn) means a slice or a flat piece, originally of wood or bamboo, which were used for signs. * The characters combine perfectly to mean "a sign (牌) that beckons (招) customers." This literal meaning of an attractive storefront sign is the foundation for all its figurative uses, where a signature product or a good reputation "beckons" people just as effectively as a physical sign. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **招牌 (zhāopai)** is a concept deeply embedded in Chinese commercial and social culture, carrying more weight than the English "signboard." Historically, a shop's **招牌** was often a piece of art, featuring elegant calligraphy from a respected scholar, and symbolized the honor and history of the business, which was often family-run for generations. To protect one's **招牌** was to protect the family's honor and livelihood. * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** While you might compare **招牌** to a "flagship product" or "brand identity," there's a key difference. A "flagship product" is often a modern marketing term decided in a boardroom. A **招牌**, especially in the context of a **招牌菜 (zhāopai cài)** or signature dish, feels more organic and earned. It's the product that has proven itself over time through public acclaim and represents the pinnacle of the owner's craft and integrity. Damaging this reputation, known as **砸了招牌 (zá le zhāopai)**—literally "smashing the signboard"—is a profound failure, akin to destroying a legacy. This connects deeply to the cultural value of "face" or social standing (**[[面子]] miànzi**). ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **In a Restaurant:** This is the most common context for a learner. When you're not sure what to order, you can simply ask the waiter: “你们的招牌菜是什么？” (Nǐmen de zhāopai cài shì shénme?) - "What is your signature dish?" This is a polite and effective way to get the best thing on the menu. * **In Business:** A company's most successful and defining product can be called its **招牌**. For example, WeChat could be considered Tencent's **招牌** product in the social media space. * **Describing People:** Figuratively, you can use **招牌** to describe a person's most famous or recognizable trait. If someone is known for their constant, cheerful smile, you could say his smile is his **招牌**. * **Connotation:** The term is overwhelmingly positive, implying quality, reliability, and distinction. The only negative usage is in phrases like **砸了招牌 (zá le zhāopai)**, which means "to ruin one's reputation." ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 这家店的**招牌**是红色的，很醒目。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de **zhāopai** shì hóngsè de, hěn xǐngmù. * English: This shop's signboard is red; it's very eye-catching. * Analysis: The most literal usage of the word, referring to the physical sign outside a building. * **Example 2:** * 服务员，请问你们有什么**招牌**菜推荐吗？ * Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, qǐngwèn nǐmen yǒu shénme **zhāopai** cài tuījiàn ma? * English: Waiter, could you please recommend any of your signature dishes? * Analysis: This is a classic, practical sentence every learner should know for dining out in China. **招牌菜 (zhāopai cài)** is a fixed and extremely common phrase. * **Example 3:** * 北京烤鸭是全聚德的**招牌**。 * Pinyin: Běijīng kǎoyā shì Quánjùdé de **zhāopai**. * English: Peking Duck is Quanjude's signature dish (or "claim to fame"). * Analysis: Here, **招牌** is used to link a famous product directly to a famous brand. It implies that the duck is the very soul of the restaurant's identity. * **Example 4:** * 这家公司靠着他们的**招牌**产品，在市场上站稳了脚跟。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī kào zhe tāmen de **zhāopai** chǎnpǐn, zài shìchǎng shàng zhànwěn le jiǎogēn. * English: This company relied on its flagship product to gain a firm foothold in the market. * Analysis: Shows the use of **招牌** in a modern business context, equivalent to "flagship product." * **Example 5:** * 他那友善的微笑是他的**招牌**。 * Pinyin: Tā nà yǒushàn de wēixiào shì tā de **zhāopai**. * English: His friendly smile is his trademark. * Analysis: A great example of the figurative use for people. It's his most recognizable, defining feature. * **Example 6:** * 他的**招牌**动作是投三分球。 * Pinyin: Tā de **zhāopai** dòngzuò shì tóu sānfēnqiú. * English: His signature move is shooting three-pointers. * Analysis: Similar to the previous example, this applies **招牌** to a specific skill or action someone is known for, often in sports or performance. * **Example 7:** * 这次食品安全问题，把这家百年老店的**招牌**给砸了。 * Pinyin: Zhè cì shípǐn ānquán wèntí, bǎ zhè jiā bǎinián lǎodiàn de **zhāopai** gěi zá le. * English: This food safety issue completely ruined the reputation of this century-old shop. * Analysis: This uses the powerful phrase **砸了招牌 (zá le zhāopai)**, "to smash the signboard," meaning to destroy a hard-earned reputation. * **Example 8:** * 老板说，我们的服务就是我们的**招牌**。 * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn shuō, wǒmen de fúwù jiùshì wǒmen de **zhāopai**. * English: The boss said, "Our service *is* our signature." * Analysis: This shows that a **招牌** doesn't have to be a physical product. It can be an intangible quality like customer service. * **Example 9:** * 为了维护公司的**招牌**，我们绝不允许任何质量问题。 * Pinyin: Wèile wéihù gōngsī de **zhāopai**, wǒmen jué bù yǔnxǔ rènhé zhìliàng wèntí. * English: In order to protect the company's reputation, we absolutely do not allow any quality issues. * Analysis: This highlights the proactive effort to protect one's **招牌** (reputation). * **Example 10:** * 这道菜做得真地道，可以当你的**招牌**了！ * Pinyin: Zhè dào cài zuò de zhēn dìdao, kěyǐ dāng nǐ de **zhāopai** le! * English: This dish is made so authentically, it could be your signature dish! * Analysis: A complimentary and informal way to praise someone's cooking skill, suggesting it's good enough to be their claim to fame. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Literal vs. Figurative:** The most common mistake is not understanding the jump from the literal "signboard" to the figurative "signature item." When someone says **招牌菜 (zhāopai cài)**, they are not talking about a dish that looks like a sign. They mean the dish that *is* the restaurant's sign of quality. * **招牌 (zhāopai) vs. 品牌 (pǐnpái):** These can both be translated as "brand," but they are different. * **[[品牌]] (pǐnpái)** is "brand name." It's a modern, broad, and often corporate term for the overall identity of a company (e.g., Nike, Apple). * **招牌 (zhāopai)** is more specific and traditional. It refers to the single, star product or feature that *makes* the brand famous. Apple's **品牌 (pǐnpái)** is Apple, but you could argue the iPhone was its **招牌 (zhāopai)** product for a long time. * **Incorrect Usage:** * **Wrong:** 我有很多招牌。(Wǒ yǒu hěnduō zhāopai.) * **Why it's wrong:** A person or business usually only has one, or very few, **招牌**. It's the single most defining thing. Having "many" of them dilutes the meaning. You could say "I have many specialties (特色 tèsè)," but not many **招牌**. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[招牌菜]] (zhāopai cài):** The most common and direct application of the term. It means "signature dish." * **[[品牌]] (pǐnpái):** Brand name. A broader, more modern concept of a company's overall identity, whereas **招牌** often refers to a specific product or feature that builds that brand. * **[[名誉]] (míngyù):** Reputation, fame. This is the abstract concept that a good **招牌** represents and protects. * **[[特色]] (tèsè):** A distinguishing feature or characteristic. A **招牌** is the most important **特色**, but a business can have many **特色** (e.g., good location, cheap prices, friendly staff). * **[[拿手菜]] (náshǒu cài):** A dish that a chef is personally best at making ("something they have a good hand for"). It's very similar to **招牌菜** but focuses more on the chef's personal skill rather than the restaurant's official "signature" item. * **[[广告牌]] (guǎnggào pái):** Billboard, advertisement board. This is purely a sign for advertising, lacking the deep cultural meaning of reputation and history that **招牌** carries. * **[[砸]] (zá):** To smash or to pound. Primarily relevant for the idiom **砸了招牌 (zá le zhāopai)**, meaning "to ruin one's reputation."